Anything But Them
by InTheSilenceOfTheseWalls
Summary: New Yule Ball Ending, but from the movie. Got the idea while watching Harry Potter and GoF.


A/N: Movie-verse

°°°!°°°HJP&HJG°°°!°°°

"He's using you."

Ron stated as he was walking out of the Great Hall, where the Yule Ball came to close.

"How dare you?!" Hermione bellowed furiously, trying to keep up with Ron. "Besides, I can take care of myself."

Ron snorted. "I doubt it. He's way too old."

"What?!" Hermione's hands were itching. She had the sudden urge to slap Ron, really hard. "What? That's what you think?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah, that's what I think."

"You know the solution then, don't you?"

"Go on." He slowed down a bit.

Hermione blocked his way in front of the stairs in the entrance hall. "Next time there is a ball, pluck up the courage and ask me before somebody else does! And not as a last resort."

Ron's mouth opened and closed a few times. "Well, that's…I mean, that's just… completely off the point." He stuttered then stared over Hermione's head. "Harry…"

Hermione spun around to see a shocked and surprised Harry standing only a few feet behind her. "Where have you been?" Harry opened his mouth to respond but she cut him off. "Never mind! Off to bed, both of you."

Harry shot Ron an irritated look before he walked past Hermione. Hermione wiped at her eyes as tears began to fall

"They get scary when they get older." Ron mumbled to Harry as they climbed up the stairs.

Hermione turned sharply. "Ron, you spoiled everything!" She yelled.

"What's this about?" Harry asked, confused.

Hermione sat down heavily on the stairs and took of her shoes, tears running down her cheeks.

°°°!°°°

When Harry and Ron reached the Portrait Hole to the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry stopped.

Ron turned to him. "What's wrong?"

Harry hesitated. "Uhm, I left something down, don't worry, I'll come later."

Ron shrugged and went through the Hole.

Harry sighed. He was worried about Hermione, and even though he was a bit put off because she came with Krum, he didn't want to leave her. He turned and ran down the stairs until he reached the Entrance Hall, where he found Hermione still sitting on the stairs.

He took a few steps until he was next to her and sat down. "Hermione?"

"I told you to go to bed." She snapped at him, not lifting her head from where it was in her hands.

Harry sighed. "I couldn't just leave you here."

She faced him sharply. "Oh like you don't side him on this, too, like always."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Hermione wiped at her eyes furiously, before standing up. "You know exactly what I meant." She began to storm, barefooted mind you, out to where the carriages stood. Harry followed her, beginning to grow angry.

"No, I don't know what you meant, Hermione." He exclaimed.

Hermione spun around sharply. "It's always the same, Harry. Ron and I fight and you side him, even though you don't really know what it's about."

"I don't." He threw in but she just ignored him and continued.

"And I… I'm always backing you up; I always have your best interest at heart, but you…" She stopped, trying to find the right words while she wiped at her eyes. "It always seems like you don't care about all of it."

Harry's eyes softened, rage quickly disappearing at her last words. "But I do…care, a lot. You're my best friend, the most important person in my life."

"But… Ron…" She murmured quietly, looking down.

He sighed deeply, feeling things bubbling up inside of him. "Ron's my best mate. We talk about Quidditch and girls and stuff like this, you know guy stuff." Hermione huffed, causing Harry to grin. "But you're my best friend. I confide in you, I know you're there when I need you and I know, or hope at least that you'd never leave me. You are just…my Hermione."

Hermione blushed slightly at the last sentence. "Then why? Why do you always side him? Like the broom incident?"

Harry sighed. "Well, I'm still a teenage boy, I have no idea what I'm doing most of the time, besides…" He trailed off.

"Besides what?" She raised her eyebrows.

He scratched his neck. "You know, when I saw you descent that staircase I really thought you look really, really pretty." He blushed. "And when I saw you with Krum… I…"

Hermione groaned. "Not you too… I can take care of myself, I'm a big girl."

"No, I… I don't think about it that way… I'm really confused about it, but I know I was jealous, because you came and danced with him, and not with me." He looked down as Hermione shot him a shocked look.

"What do you mean?" She stammered, clearly not believing what he said.

"I…I mean, I think… I fancy you." He stuttered. Her eyes widened. "And I know I shouldn't"

"You fancy me?"

His blush deepened at her disbelieving tone. "Maybe… even more than that."

Hermione stepped forward, grabbing his hands. She caught his gaze and could see that he was sincere about it. "Since when?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess, I've always fancied you a bit and the 'more' thing happened somewhere between our going back in time and today. But I think it was bound to happen as for you were the first to show me that someone cares, to show me that when you touch someone it's not only to punish them and you are indeed quite… perfect." He said the last word quieter than the others. "So I couldn't just not fancy you. But I didn't want you to know, so I kind of thought if I don't always side you, you won't notice that I like you..."

She smiled softly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He shrugged again, gazing at his shoes again, noting that Hermione was barefoot. "I don't think you could ever like me back with Ron and now Krum and the little fact that I'm hunted by a maniac."

She sighed. "Well, it never occurred to you that I might just resign myself to them because I never thought _you _could like me back." Harry's head snapped back up at her. "Oh Harry, I've always had a major crush on you."

He faintly heard a slow song come on and an idea popped into his head. "Hermione, would you like to dance with me?"

She raised her eyebrows at him. He gave her a grin. "Um, sure." He then surprised her by picking her of the ground and setting her feet down on his. Her face was just a few inches away from his. He began to rock them. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "What now? I mean about us?"

Harry smiled. "So, I like you, you like me. I'd want to give this a try, let's see where this takes us."

She bit her lip nervously. "What about Ron?"

Harry frowned before the smile worked its way back on his face. "Just for once in my life I want to be selfish. He'll get over it, I still don't get why he fancies you if he's always just irritated and confused by you." Hermione rolled her eyes. "But I just want to give this a try. Do…" He hesitated. "Do you?"

Hermione grinned. "I want this, too."

His face broke out into a grin as well. "Let's not care about anything now. No Ron, Krum…"

Hermione continued, "No Cho, No Tri-wizard Tournament."

"No nothing." He ended. "Just us." Hermione nodded dazedly and closed her eyes as Harry leaned down and placed his lips on hers.

It was a soft and sweet kiss. And as Harry rocked them, their lips moulding together, neither of them cared about anything… but them.

°°°!°°°HJP&HJG°°°!°°°


End file.
